Academic study of human communication in all its facets provides critical advantages in preparing students for both professional life and civic participation. Our department boasts award-winning teachers and researchers who support students in those pursuits with both expertise and enthusiasm.
In a top-ranked department that spans the humanities and social sciences, majors and minors learn together to: think and listen critically; undertake independent and collaborative research; influence people; analyze public discourse; understand empirical studies that test communication theories; and participate more richly in civic, communal, and relational life.
As a reflection of our unique status as a humanities and a social sciences department, CAS allows students to choose either a bachelor of arts (B.A.) or a bachelor of science (B.S.) degree program. On World Campus exclusively, CAS offers a B.A. or B.S. in Organizational and Professional Communication.
CAS offers the following minors: CAS; Rhetoric; Civic and Community Engagement; Dispute Management and Resolution; Information Science and Technology.
Graduates of our program consistently enjoy successful careers as analysts and strategists, lawyers, professors, community organizers, corporate executives, freelance writers, and more.
What sets our program apart?
Beyond our financial support, the department is a vibrant intellectual community devoted to developing students’ particular interests. We embrace the value of an interdisciplinary education.
Our communication science students can participate in a Health and Risk Communication brown bag series, learn big data science through SoDA, learn new methodologies through the Methodology Center, pursue research and teaching at the Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, learn to pursue fMRI research through the Social, Life, and Engineering Sciences Imaging Center, and participate in The McCourtney Institute for Democracy Roundtable.
Our rhetoric students can take classes in allied departments, including English, philosophy, sociology, history, and media studies, pursue graduate minors, work with the Rock Ethics Institute to develop their understanding of ethics literacy and pedagogy, receive fellowships and research support through the Humanities Institute, work closely with the Center for Democratic Deliberation to improve public deliberation, and complete a Digital Pedagogy Graduate Internship through the Penn State Office of Digital Pedagogy and Scholarship.
Alumni Spotlight:
Cassandra Thurston
Biography:
Thurston graduated from Penn State with a B.A. in Communication Arts and Sciences in 2008. Since graduation, Thurston earned an M.A. in communication from Rutgers University. Thurston used a background in communication and business to secure a job as Senior Account Manager with JK Design.If you are a CAS alum, we’d love to add your name to this list! Submit an alumni update below to be featured here!